Tornado Outbreak Sequence of April 26-May 2, 2021
The was an extended period of severe weather known for hundreds of tornadoes. The event is known for it's record 415 tornadoes over a 5 day period, including 3 EF4 tornadoes and an EF5 as well. On April 28 and 29th, back to back High Risks were issued by the Storm Prediction Center. April 29 was the most active, with a massive EF5 tornado carving through parts of Newton-Kellogg-Oakland Acres and Grinnell, causing at least 31 deaths in the process. Event summary Note: 3 EFU tornadoes unaccounted for. Notable tornadoes Anthony-Argonia-Conway Springs-Clearwater-Wichita, Kansas This tornado initially touched down as an EF0 on the outskirts of Anthony at 1305 CDT on April 29, causing minor tree damage in the process. Moving northeast, the tornado began to gradually intensify and at 1315 CDT it arrived in Agonia, where EF3 damage was inflicted. Here, the tornado completely obliterated a mobile home, killing the single 79 year old occupant at the time, before collapsing the exterior walls of numerous homes. An apartment complex lost it's top floor to the tornado as well, and trees were partially debarked as well. Continuing northeast, the tornado intensified into an EF4, mostly levelling one farm and partially sweeping away another before arriving in Conway Springs around 1320 CDT. In Conway Springs, the tornado levelled dozens of homes, including two that were swept clean off their foundations. Storm surveyors warranted a 190mph intensity at these locations, as the swept buildings were only bolted to their foundations, not anchored properly. Extensive ground scouring occurred and many trees were snapped, uprooted and debarked by the now quarter mile wide tornado. A life was lost in Conway Springs when a storm shelter door was compromised and torn off, ripping the 2 occupants out of the shelter and lofting them 300 feet in the air into the nearby mangled powrrlines, where they died of electrocution. The tornado continued on its course, hitting Clearwater aboit 1325 CDT, with a mixture of EF3 and EF4 damage being observed in this area. Continuing northeast, the tornado arrived on the outskirts of Wichita around 1332 CDT as an EF2 tornado, where it demolished more powerlines and also destroyed a mobile home, before weakening to an EF1 tornado and destroying 3 metal outbuildings and lifting. During its 29 mile long path, the tornado was the cause of 3 deaths, and at least $14 million in damages. Newton-Kellogg-Oakland Acres-Grinnell, Iowa The supercell that produced this tornado formed over southeastern Nebraska around 1:30pm local time on April 29, before gradually intensifying as it moved northeastwards, entering Iowa around 2:15pm with a developing wall cloud. At 2:35pm, a tornado warning was issued for Newton, and 7 minutes later a tornado touched down on the western outskirts of the city. Moving gradually east-northeast, the tornado grew steadily in strength and size, producing EF2 damage in Newton before moving out towards Kellogg as it began rapidly intensifying. Around 2:45pm, a massive 2 mile wide wedge tornado began tearing through Kellogg, sweeping away scores of well built, anchored buildings in the process, leaving only bare slabs, debarked stumps and extensive ground scouring. Debris was windrowed to granules in some cases before the tornado moved towards Oakland Acres, causing similar devastation. Following Oakland Acres, the tornado finally began to weaken, destroying double wide mobile homes and debarking more trees at EF3 intensity before weakening dramatically and dissipating in Grinnell. Reports after the tornado indicated the large mangled frames of vehicles falling from the sky and an overpowering smell of dirt. In all, this tornado killed 31 people along its 19 mile path. Category:F5/EF5 Tornadoes Category:US tornadoes Category:Canadian Tornadoes Category:F4/EF4 Tornadoes Category:Deadly Outbreaks Category:Costly Outbreaks Category:Tornadoes of 2021